Contrast for Qld voters plain: Gillard

Queenslanders will make up their own mind about having an opposition leader who is not subject to parliamentary scrutiny, Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
says.

Ms Gillard said voters would form their own views about the Liberal National Party's "unusual" leadership arrangements.

Former Brisbane lord mayor
Campbell Newman
is the new leader of the LNP, despite him not holding a seat in the parliament.

He will direct the party in the run-up to the election from outside the house, while he tries to win the Labor-held seat of Ashgrove.

Ms Gillard said the contrast for voters was plain – an opposition leader pulling the strings from outside, and a Labor premier who was subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

"I think Anna [Bligh] is doing a remarkable job leading the state in recovery and of course she's doing it in circumstances where she's open to scrutiny, including parliamentary scrutiny, every day that parliament sits," she said.

"And I think that's appropriate."

Mr Newman, by contrast, was not subject to the same checks and balances, she said.